TITLE: Criminal Minds – "Darkest Days" (A sequel to Behind the Mask)
AUTHOR: D M Harper
SUMMARY: Agent Prentiss is forced to face her secretive past when it threatens the safety of her BAU colleagues and her beloved family.
RATING: For Mature Readers.
DISCLAIMER: This story was conjured up for reading entertainment only. No money has exchanged hands or bank accounts. There is no profit gained, just fancy flights of imagination. There is no intention to infringe on the copyright of CBS Television Studios or creator Jeff Davis. This writing does feature consensual sexual interaction between two females, so if you are underage or unable to view due to restrictions in your part of the world, be gone and take my sympathy with you. If you find such material offensive, too bad, so sad, you chose to enter this web site of your own free will; hence you have no one to whine to except yourself or a parent if you are caught, so bugger off!
A/N: Please find them time to review and feed the Muse. Fourth instalment for the week, enjoy!
Chapter 41
Friday 2nd November
By the end of the working week, Jillian's blood tests showed no presence of infection and her MRI indicated her fractures were healing along with the fact her liver was on the mend.
Overjoyed with the results, Emily sat beside her wife's bed and enquired, "How long before Jillian will be able to travel home?"
Doctor Burton responded, "Her rate of recovery has far exceeded expectations as you know, but I'd like to keep Jillian under observation until Tuesday morning at least."
"I can handle that," acquiesced Jillian while running a wobbly hand over the stubble on her scalp.
"I'll organise a referral for a regime of Physical Therapy for you at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Centre in Woodbridge."
"Thank you Doctor Burton … thank you for all you've done for us."
"You are welcome and I'll join you for therapy this afternoon."
A mega voltage smile graced Jillian's lips, "It's a date, but be prepared to work hard; Annette is a hard task Master. What about you Doctor Moore? What plans do you have for me?"
"I'm happy to report your latest scans show minimal scar tissue around my surgical site and there are no blockages to your left fallopian tube." There were two distinct sighs of relief before the Doctor continued, "Before you leave, I'll give you a letter of recommendation for a colleague at Sentara for you and your wife to make an appointment."
"Thank you so much," commented Jillian amid a flood of tears.
Gripping Jillian's a hand tighter; Emily expressed her gratitude to the Surgeons before they left.
"Well, we can't complain about that, can we?" remarked Jillian while drying her eyes with a tissue.
Emily's grin was bordering on ridiculous, "No we can't, and your parents will be pleased to have a discharge date."
"Not to mention your mother and our friends. You better start making plans for our getaway babe."
"I will and this has been a brilliant day."
Pulling Emily closer, Jillian stretched up and kissed her smiling lips. The contact was brief due to Jillian's wounds being overextended. "Ouch," she whispered while lying back against the raised mattress.
Emily empathised, "Maybe we will need to wait a little longer before resuming intimacy."
"By the pain radiating up and down my spine and ribs, I am all for that. I'm so sorry Em."
"Hey now, your health is our number one priority," suggested Emily before planting a kiss upon her wife's brow.
Groaning with frustration and weariness, Jillian confessed, "I know better than to push the boundaries."
The statement earned Jillian another kiss to her forehead from Emily, "That's my clever wife."
Checking the time on the wall clock, Jillian asked, "When did Maura say her and Jane would be visiting and bringing lunch?"
A slow forming smile crept along the curves of Emily's lips, "They will be here at twelve, and you are just anxious for another burger from The Dirty Robber."
Blonde eyebrows arched and Jillian smirked, "Seriously, can you blame me? They are the tastiest burger ever … I'll miss them when we go home."
Emily's reply was accompanied with an eye roll, "So will your son, he loves them."
"Oh, so now he's my son," questioned Jillian playfully.
"His eating habits are akin to yours honey."
"Uhm, who was it that finished off my burger after devouring hers Wednesday?"
Emily had nowhere to go, "All right, I love them too."
Satisfied with the admission, Jillian tugged on Emily's hand, "But I love you more. How about I scoot over and you crawl onto the bed and kiss me properly?"
"I can and it will be easier on you."
After some fancy manoeuvring, Emily settled on her left side and gently ran the tips of her fingers along the indentations of Jillian's abdominal muscles.
"Keep that up and will put me to sleep," warned Jillian with a sigh.
"A rest would do you good before the kids arrive."
"They wore me out yesterday."
"Building blocks is exhausting honey," teased Emily.
"So was this morning therapy," pointed out a yawning Jillian.
"Close your eyes my darling," coaxed a smiling Emily.
"Mmm, love you Em."
"I love you too." Emily continued to stroke the taunt ridges on offer until sleep overtook her.
-o-
Waking two hours later, Emily eased off the bed and entered the bathroom to freshen up. Jillian was stirring when she re-emerged.
"Hey babe."
Emily approached the bed, "Hey yourself. Did you have a good rest?"
"I always do with you beside me."
"It's the same for me. Do you need anything while I am up?"
"Can you please grab my toothbrush for me and pour me some iced water?"
"I most certainly can and how would you like to spend our break here in Boston once you are fit?"
Accepting the toothbrush with a line of paste, Jillian grinned, "Thanks and I'd like that Em."
"We have a date then."
The couple looked towards the door when they heard their rambunctious children's laughter in the hallway.
"Brace yourself honey," recommended Emily with a chuckle. "It sounds like they are already wound up."
-o-
Half a hamburger and a handful of fries later, Jillian was ready for sleep. The twins had kept her amused with their antics while playing with Jane on the cushioned play mat sprawled out on the floor.
"She'll be an excellent mother," noted Maureen to Maura as Jillian closed her eyes.
"I believe so and your grandchildren are a joy."
Emily laughed, "You wouldn't think so if you'd have seen them last weekend. They were out of control and little terrors."
Shock registered on the Doctor's face, "No, really?"
"They were," confirmed Malcolm. "Jillian managed to turn them around with backup from Emily."
"I'll keep that in mind," acknowledged Maura. "We may require as much help as possible. I've read so much literature on child rearing and discovered so many inconsistencies; it is hard to decide which the best method is."
Jane smiled up at her wife, "Babe, I told you already; you don't need some stranger telling you how to raise our son or daughter. Nothing beats experience and Ma has had thirty six years of it. We Rizzoli kids didn't turn out too bad."
Emily grinned as she observed the softening of Maura's features and the expression of pure adoration before replying, "Jane, I believe you are correct."
"Wow Maura, thank you," returned a clearly flabbergasted Detective. "I was expecting an argument."
"Not today my love and honestly, I see your point."
"Mothers really do know best," quoted Emily. "If it wasn't for Maureen, I'd still have my head up my posterior and living in London."
Maureen leaned over and softly squeezed her daughter in-law's hand, "Thank you for the sterling endorsement, but I'm fairly certain Jillian would have made a move eventually."
"You were separated?" enquired Maura.
Emily went on with the circumstances of their estrangement until Jane and Maura were paged to a homicide. With a quick goodbye, the couple departed and Emily took Jane's place on the rug. She was instantly set upon by Samantha.
The toddler wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and kissed her chin, "Love you mama. Can me have nap?" Nuzzling in closer, she waited for an answer.
Standing, Maureen offered, "Malcolm and I will take them back to the hotel Emily."
"I'll give you a hand in getting them downstairs."
"All right and we'll be back with dinner."
The words caught Jarrod's attention, "Burger Nana?"
"No Little Man, one a day is plenty."
Puppy dog eyes came into play, "Otay, but mommy love 'em."
Getting to her feet with Samantha clinging on, Emily shook her head, "Yes she does, but Nana is right."
Shrugging his shoulders, Jarrod commenced packing up the toys.
Maureen's eyes popped, "Goodness, maybe the rebellious phase is over."
"Could be," agreed a hopeful Emily as her mother in-law knelt and helped her busy grandson.
-o-
Tuesday 13th November
Emily carefully wrapped her right arm around Jillian's waist and assisted her slow ascension of the stairs. "Nearly there honey," she encouraged enthusiastically as Jillian gingerly placed her left foot on the second last step. Grateful for her in-laws minding the children at the local park, Emily smiled graciously when Jillian pushed off the railing with a heavy sigh.
"Crap on a cracker, I thought that would have been much easier," confessed the slightly out of breath blonde sporting a thin sheen of perspiration upon her brow.
"You did a fantastic job," praised Emily, hoping to keep menacing tears from falling.
Glancing sideways at her wife, Jillian smiled, "I'm just relieved to be home babe." Hobbling into the main bedroom, she asked, "Do you mind if I take a shower?"
"Of course not," replied Emily while placing their two bags on the end of the bed. "Do you need a hand with anything?"
Emily noticed the discomfort etched on Jillian's face as she answered, "You'll have to remove my clothes for me."
A lustful smirk appeared, "Oh, I believe I can ably aid you there."
Teardrops tumbled down Jillian's drawn features, "I'm so sorry I can't make love."
"Hey now, I wasn't implying we indulge ourselves honey. I can clearly see you are in pain and only want you to get comfortable. I'm sorry I can't stop myself from imaging how beautiful you are naked and getting a goofy grin on my face."
"I know."
"We both have to remember you have a lot of healing still to do, so let's get you refreshed and settled."
Tilting her head to the left, Jillian quizzed, "How the shit did I get so lucky with you?"
"I wore you down," joked Emily.
"Yeah, just like Maura did with Jane."
"I really like those two."
"I do too babe and I think I better have a bath instead; I doubt I'll be able to stand long enough."
"In that case I'll go start the water."
"Thanks Em and please remember I truly do appreciate you."
Emily's smile grew wider, "I am aware of that honey and I promise I'll never leave you or the kids again unless it is work related."
"I'll hold you to that and can you please grab me a bottle of water."
"Sure," Emily returned before ducking into the ensuite and turning on the taps. "Do you need anything else while I am downstairs?"
Jillian took hold of her wife's hand as she neared, "Maybe some fruit to snack on."
Leaning in, Emily pecked the side of Jillian's neck, "I'll be right back."
-o-
Emily walked into the bathroom carrying a platter of sliced apple, orange and pineapple and two chilled waters. Placing the items on the counter top, she rotated to assist Jillian.
Lifting off the side of the tub, Jillian glanced at the food, "That looks great babe and I hope you plan on joining me. I've missed having you hold me from behind."
"Needless to say, I have too," confessed Emily while taking hold of her spouse's tee shirt and caringly removing it. The track pants were next followed by underwear. "How was that?" she enquired while stripping off her own sweater, shirt and jeans.
Jillian's eyes roamed over the brunette's matching dark blue bra and briefs clad body, "Good and shit, you are stunning."
"Thanks and I better turn off the water."
Reaching out with an unsteady left hand, Jillian traced her fingers over the skin of Emily's upper left breast, "There is no trace of the scar; maybe I'll need some laser work too."
Looking down, Emily placed a hand over Jillian's, "We will see my darling."
Bending her knees, Jillian tentatively pressed her lips to the area, causing Emily to cry.
Lifting her head, Jillian captured her paramour's mouth in a tender kiss. By the time they broke apart, Emily was highly aroused and Jillian exasperated. Neither woman spoke as Emily aided Jillian's move into the warm water.
After reclining onto Emily's chest, Jillian whispered, "I fully understand how terrifying it was for you when Doyle tortured you. I was fucking petrified of McCall Emily."
Draping her arms around Jillian's shoulder, Emily cried, "I know my darling, but I wish you hadn't experienced a similar fate all because of that prick Doyle."
Tears flowed from blue globes as Jillian gripped her wife's forearms, "I'm just glad the whole business is over. Doyle is dead as are most of his cronies and the others are imprisoned. It will be interesting to see what happens with ex-Agent Connors."
"Hotch told me we will be tried as an accessory for all the murders carried out by Doyle and his men whilst in America. He will also stand trial for abetting the escape of a felon from a Federal Prison and for being an accessary to the kidnapping, attempted rape and murder of a Federal Agent as well as two counts of assault on two Federal Agents. The United States Attorney's Office is literally tossing the book at him."
"Can you say "death penalty"?" quipped Jillian.
"I certainly can and I honestly love you Jill. Welcome home honey."
"The same to you babe."
Content to savour the closeness and normalcy of being together, Emily gathered up the wash cloth and soap and slowly passed it over the expanse of Jillian's back, careful to avoid pressing into the bruised areas.
Twenty minutes elapsed before the duo emerged from the bathroom and dressed in fresh underwear, tee shirts and FBI Academy track pants. Jillian was helped into bed then Emily took the used bottles and empty platter down to the kitchen.
-o-
"When do you have to go into the office?" asked Jillian once Emily re-joined her.
Sitting beside Jillian, Emily explained, "Aaron told me Sunday that I was not expected back until Monday. The guys will be here to visit on Saturday unless called into the field."
Jillian rested a hand on Emily's thigh, "They won't be working."
"What do you know that I don't?"
"While you were at the Nurse's Station organising my discharge papers, Erin called."
"She phoned from Quantico?" queried an interested Emily.
"Yes and she was still on the warpath."
Giggling, Emily joked, "Shit, I'm glad I missed it."
"As you know, Deputy Chief Crawford had his ass handed to him for not carrying out her instructions and the idiot put in on official grievance against her. Erin is pissed because she has had to delay her vacation until Monday while the complaint is addressed."
"What a moron," Emily angrily retorted. "He doesn't have a leg to stand on; especially with their history."
"The Teams have already submitted statements in regards to his under par handling of the Units during Erin's absence, so it should be a short investigation. Cooper from the Red Team was particularly scathing in his remarks. Erin will be suggesting Crawford be transferred to another Field Office."
"She sounds confident of a favourable outcome."
"She has basically already been advised it's only a formality and Crawford will be gone by the end of the week."
"Fantastic and I gather the Team is on downtime until Monday."
"Yes and Hotch will be taking over as Chief."
"Crap, that will mean Derek will be stepping up. He will be insufferable and give me all the shitty tasks."
Tittering quietly, Jillian scoffed, "You got to take the good with the bad babe."
"That's enough cheek out of you. How are you feeling?"
"I am relaxed and ready for our two little rascals to see us."
"Good, but we still have thirty minutes before they are due home."
"I could be asleep by then."
"We'll play it by ear then my darling."
-o-
Jillian woke two hours later with Samantha and Jarrod cuddled into her legs and Emily by her side. The enormity of her assault from McCall hit her hard when she realised these moments could have been taken from her. Reaching out for Emily's hand, she held on firmly.
With fluttering eyelids, Emily roused from slumber and sat up, "Are you okay honey?"
"Yes babe; I have everything I need right in this bed."
Her heart filled with love as Emily agreed, "As do I. Your mom said the kids were tired and they asked to take their nap with you."
"They're so frigging cute and I'd like to start trying for a baby in the New Year."
"I'm all for that Jill."
Cupping her hand under Emily's chin, Jillian's voice lowered, "You bring my so much joy Em."
Brown eyes filled with tears, "Right back at you Agent Beautiful."
Moving in, Jillian kissed Emily's smiling lips and didn't stop until the twins stirred awake some ten minutes later.
Both children rubbed their eyes and cheered, "Mommy home, yay."
Through her tears, Jillian grinned, "Hello my babies."
"Hug mommy?" enquired Jarrod with a furrowed forehead while getting to his knees.
"Yes, but be careful Little Man."
Nodding, he crawled along the right side of Jillian's frame and settled against her chest, "Love you."
"I love you too."
Samantha suddenly stood and pounced on Emily, "Love you mama, play?"
"I love you too Little Miss, but it's not playtime."
"Shit," mumbled the young girl under her breath, much to the chagrin of her parents.
"Bad word," chastised Jarrod rather than echoing her. He cuddled in closer to his mother instead.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," came the response before Samantha launched herself at Jillian.
-o-
Up next: Looks like the "Terrible Twos" are not over.
